Sunday, April 18, 2010

Tapering

This week was all about tapering for my first race of the season. I have to admit that it’s the least likable part of my training for Badwater. If one really loves to run, not being able to run for as long as one feels is a little bit of a challenge. Because less running means less eating and I really love to eat. Although, less time running means spending more time with all the other adventurous and interesting things in life like my husband, my friends, my cats, cooking Swiss gourmet meals and making more detailed plans about this year’s Badwater race. While I was running on the treadmill this morning I realized that I didn’t use any music during all those long hours running the Badwater Ultramarathon last year. Music and senses are very important in my life. So I decided I need to burn some very special Badwater Music CD’s. As a proud Swiss citizen I need at least a couple of CD’s with famous Swiss Music. In addition to the Swiss music I will have an emergency CD called “Songs for the Almost Dead” which will include the most inspiring songs I know to push me all the way to the finish line. I will start picking the songs tomorrow. If you have any suggestions please post them to the comments. Mille grazie!

13 comments:

So you're looking for music to help you keep cranking out the miles. Your idea for Swiss music is good. Keep going with that idea, i.e. choosing music that creates a response in YOU. It can be rock, blues, jazz, classical, country, fast (driving), slow (floating), whatever works for you.

Consider choosing a few songs that are long (e.g. Hey Jude, In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, American Pie, Comfortably Numb). The end of a song is a natural pause point - a momentary return to reality. You are trying to use music to disassociate from the reality of your situation, i.e. fatigue, dehydration, swelling, blisters, nausea, diarrhea, fire, brimstone, Jeff..., so choose songs that "keep on going" if you want to do the same. If we measure time in songs, either consciously or subconsciously, time will seem to pass more quickly if you listen to long songs. Consider the following concept albums, some of which are essentially one long song:

American Idiot (Green Day, if you like punk)The Wall (Pink Floyd)The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway (Genesis)The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie)Dark Side Of The Moon (Pink Floyd)Thick As A Brick (Jethro Tull)Tommy (The Who)Sgt. Pepper's (The Beatles)Days Of Future Passed (Moody Blues)

Happy running,

Jim

And if you don't mind going a bit north of Switzerland, there's always the peppy sounds of ABBA, if you like.

Hi Iris,you are doing very well with all the preparations!Just a couple of suggestions: songs from "Enya" are very insprirational (I got 3 CD's - available to you)and may I suggest for the last stretch "Hallelujah" from and with Leonard Cohen ;-)Nur weiter so!Bea

Iris,Guess what my suggestion is!??Elvis Presley - Suspicious Minds - nothing to do with you and Coop, just happens to be my favorite Elvis song, first recorded in 1969!! Might not work for you, a little slow moving for a runner, but it's like reading a story. I will never know if you run with my favorite song but I am there with you in spirit!!Love, Donn

Looks pretty good and I will think up some tunes for you. I have one in mind right now the soundtrack from the movie Run Lola Run and its in German although not Swiss German, very powerful music for those low moments if you have any.Dave